Loose-leaf device.



K. L. EDDY.

LOOASE LEAF DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. I914.

1 ,276,503 k Patented Aug. 20, 1518.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- I l2 44 A5 5 A W////////M/fl////////fl/////////// IN VEN TOR. WITNESSES: I) g 2 A? i A TTORNE Y.

K. L.---EDDY.

LOOSE LEAF DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1914.

Pat ented Aug. 20, 191& V

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNE k K.L.EDDY. LOOSE LEAF DEVICE--v APPLICATION FILED MAR- 91M Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1N VENTOR.

WITNESSES:

' I A TORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KENNETH L. EDDY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR. BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTOMATIC UTILITIES CO., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LOOSE-LEAF DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Application filed March 30, 1914. Serial No. 828.173.

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Loose-Leaf Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of devices which are designed to lift a card or a group of cards above their normal plane.

Devices of this character, with which I am familiar, usually comprise :1 containing case, a plurality of looseleaf cards mounted therein, the cards being provided with indicia on their lower edge, and metal clips which are adjustable longitudinall on the lower edge of the cards and are a apted to be placed in varying positions on the card. In the bottom of the containing case are generally mounted a number of devices whidch engage the clips on the bottom of the car As it is necessary that these lifting devices should be exact in operation, and move with a great deal of case, it necessarily follo s that they have to be constructed with a great deal of care, and inasmuch as the space in the bottom of the box is necessarily somewhat limited, it results that they have to be extremely small which results in increasing the necessity for fine workmanship upon them. The result of all this is that the devices are exceedingly expensive to manufacture.

My invention has for its object to over come this feature and to provide a device in which one raising mechanism can be employed for the purpose of elevating or ra-ising any series or group of cards. and has for its further object to provide means to insure the rising bar always engaging the ends of the pins which are in alinement therewith.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing may be more readily understood by having reference to the accompanying rawings. which are hereunto annexed and are a part of this specification. in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of my loose leaf card index box, the side wall being omitted to show the interior construction.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an isometric perspective view of the carriage and lifting device together with one of the cards. the casing being a omitted for the sake ot clearness.

Fig. 4 15 an enlarged detall view of the guide.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the carriage.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of one member of the same.

Fig. 7 is a view of the front of the box, showing the manner of guiding the longitudinal movement of the bar.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line w.'z: in Fig. 7, in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of one of the pins.

Fig. 10 is an edge view of the same.

Fig. 11 is a front view of a modified form.

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the same.

Similar reference numerals refer to si|nilar parts throughout the entire description.

As shown in the drawings, my invention consists of a box or casing 1. in which is mounted a plurality of loose leaves l. The lower edges of these leaves have secured thereto and depending therefrom a plurality of metal clips or pins 2. These pins are clearly shown in the detail views. F igs. 9 and 10, and consist of a downwardly depending portion and a card engaging portion. the center of the card engaging portion being punched out to leave an opening 3. the card being inserted between the punched out portion and the remaining card engaging portion of the pin.

The lower edge of the card is printed with a number of devices which may consist of letters of the alphabet or numerals. and the pins 2 are arranged to engage the said numerals in any designated position. the 11in being provided with an opening 3 formed by the portion punched out of the central portion of the pin,- and this opening shows clearly the numeral or letter on the lower edge of the car as clearly seen in Fig. 3. a

On the front wall 3, of the casing 1, is

certain letters or numerals, the numbers corresponding in position to the numbers or letters printed upon the lower edge of the cards 1.

A slot 6, is formed in the lower portion of the plate 7 in which is slidably mounted the outwardly extending portion 8, of the longitudinally movable bar 9. This bar is mounted in two carriages 10 and 11, which are provided with wheels 12, adapted to roll upon rails 13 and 11, mounted on the bottom of the casing 1, near the forward and rear ends of the casing. -The carriages 10 and 11, are connected together by tie rods 15, which serve to hold them in perfect alinement.

A rising bar 16, is connected to the longitudinally movable rod 9, by means of toggles 17 and 18. A coil spring 19, is located intermediate a push button 20, and the front wall of the casing, and is provided to hold the longitudinally movable bar 9, normally in an outwardly projected position.

The push button 20, of suitable size and shape is mounted upon the end of theoutwardly projecting bar 8, of the longitudinally movable bar 9, and is providedwith a stud 21', which extends inwardly and is fitted to and coincides with the perforations 5 formed in the plate 7. The inner end of the rising bar 16, is provided with a roller 22, adapted to engage a metal guide plate 23, secured to the rear wall 21, of the casing 1.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The. pins 2, having been placed in the de sired position upon the cards 4, the cards are then dropped into the box resting on a shoulder 35 near the bottom of each of the side walls of the casing, and itwill be apparent that it does not matter where they are arranged longitudinally in the box; all of the pins for a given letter, for example, the letter A, will be in alinement and soon throughout all of the indic-iaprinted on the bottom of the cards 4. 1

If the operator desires to secure all of the E cards for example, he moves the push button20, laterally until the stud 21 is in a position to register with the perforation 5 underneath the letter E. By pushing in the button 20, the bar 16 will move longitudinally carrying with it the lower end of the toggles 17 and 18, and as the rising bar 16 is held 'againstlongitudinal movement by the guide plate 23, it follows that the said bar is raised and in .its upward movement it en'- gages the lower ends of .the ins 2 in line therewith and elevates them ah occupied by the remainder.

Upon releasing the-push button 20, the

ove the plane'- coil spring 19, immediatelyreturns the longitudinal bar to its normal position. It will apparent to persons skilled in the art that this construction permits of the use of a singlelongitudinal movable bar and its accompanying rising bar to operate any desired number of letters or numerals, the number only being limited by the space taken up b the width of the casin 1, and that instead of having to use a num r of these devices corresponding to the number of letters or numerals printed on the bottom of the card, a single one will serve the purpose as it is easily moved from side to side of the casing 1, by reason of the free travel of the carriages 10 and 11.

It might be found desirable in practice, instead of provi the smooth rollers 12 and rails 13 and 14, as above described, to use the modified form shown in Fig. 6, in which the place of the rollers is taken by pinions 30 and 31, the teeth of which are adapted to engage the teeth of a rack 32, the construc tion otherwise would be identical.

Where this construction is employed, the carriage willnot move as freely as it will on the smooth rails and hence will serve to pre vent the carriages from being so liable to be accidentally moved laterally during the operation of the push button 20, with the result that the stud 21, might not engage the perforation 5, but strike against the plate 7. It is thought that this form might be freer from objection than the other though more expensive to manufacture.

' described my invention what I regard as new, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

' 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with ac-asing having a plurality of loose leaves assembled in a pack therein, means whereby a predetermined leaf or class of leaves can be elevated above their normal position ,in thepack, and means whereby the displacer can be moved so that aportion thereof passes-acres the face of the pack of leaves.

2; The combination with a loose leaf card index casing a,- lurality leaves assembled in a pee therein, a mechof loose anism movableso that a portion thereof moves across the face of said pack of leaves,

and, means carried by said mechanism whereby'apredetermined class of leaves may be e evated above the remainder of the pack.

3. The combination with a loose leaf card index having a plurality of loose leaves therein, of mechanism movable across plane of the edges of theanism whereby a predetermined class of leaves may be elevated above the plane of the remainder.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a plurality of loose leaves therein, a plurality of pins depending from the lower portion of said leaves, rails extending laterally across the bottom of the casing adjacent the forward and rear ends, travelers adapted to move upon said rails, and comprising rollers upon which they roll, a longitudinally movable bar carried by said travelers, meansadapted to engage said pins whereby the longitudinal movement of said bar will elevate a leaf or class of leaves above their normal position.

5. A device of the character describe-d comprising a casing, a plurality of loose leaves therein, a plurality of pins depending from the lower portion of said leaves, rails extending laterally across the bottom of the casing adjacentthe forward and rear ends, travelers adapted to move upon said rails, and comprising rollers upon which they roll. a longitudinal v movable bar carried by said travelers, means adapted to engage said pins whereby the longitudinal movement of said bar will elevate a leaf or class of leaves above their normal position, the front wall of said casing having a transverse slot formed therein, and a plurality of perforations, the latter corresponding in number to designations printed on the lower edge of the leaves, the forward end of the longitudinal bar extending outwardly through said slot, a push button secured to the end of said rod, means to hold said rod normally in a rojected position.

6- i deviceof the character described comprising a casing, a plurality of loose leaves therein, a plurality of pins depending upon the lower portion of said leaves, rails extending laterally across the bottom of the casing adjacent the forward and rear ends, travelers adapted to move upon said rails, and comprising rollers upon which they roll, a lon 't-udinally movable bar carried by said trave ers, means adapted to engage said pins whereby the longitudinal movement of said bar will elevate a card or class of cards above their normal position, the front wall of said casing having a transverse slot formed therein, anda plurality of perforations, the latter corresponding in number to designations printed on the lower edge of the cards, the forward end of the longitudinal bar extending outwardly through said slot, a push button secured to the end of said rod, means to hold said rod normally in a projected posi tion, a guide to insure said longitudinally movable rod being in alinement with the proper pins on the cards.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a casing having a plurality of loose leaves therein, means whereby a predetermined leaf or class of leaves can be elevated above their normal osition. a longitudinally movable bar which carries said means, means whereby the displacer can be moved so that a portion thereof moves across the face of the leaves.

8. The combination with a loose leaf card index casing having a plurality of loose leaves therein, mechanism moved across the face of said leaves, a plurality of pins depending from the lower portion of said eaves and means carried by the said mechanism, whereby the predetermined class of leaves may be elevated above their normal position, the front wall of the casing having a transverse slot formed therein and a plurality of perforations, the latter corresponding in number to designations printed on the lower edge of the leaves and bearing similar characters, a guide adapted to enter each one of said perforations whereby the elevating means will engage leaves having pinsdepending from corresponding designations.

9. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a plurality of loose leaves therein, a plurality of pins depending from the lower ortion of said leaves, racks extending latera ly across the bottom of the casing adjacent the forward and rear ends, pinions adapted to mesh with the teeth in said racks, carriages in which said pinions are mounted, and means carried by said carriages and adapted to engage said pins whereby a predetermined class of leaves may be elevated above the plane of the re malnder.

10. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a plurality of loose leaves therein, a plurality of pins depending from the lower portion of said leaves, racks extending laterally across the bottom of the casing adjacent the forward and rear ends,

pinions adapted to mesh with the teeth in said racks, carriages in which said pinions are mounted, and means carried by said carriages and adapted to engage said pins whereby a predetermined class of leaves may be elevated above theplane of the remainder, a guide to insure said rising means e11- gaging all of the predetermined class of leaves.

11. The combination with a loose leaf card index casing havin leaves therein, a mec anism movable so that, a portion thereof moves across the face of said leaves, and means carried by said mechanism to lift a predetermined class of leaves above their normal position, a plurality of a plurality of loose pins depending from the lower portion of leaves may be elevated above the lane of said leaves, a guide to insure the elevating the remainder. means to hold said lilterally means engaging all of the pins on the premovable mechanism in a predetermined podeternlined class of leaves. sition during the elevation of the said leaves.

5 12. The combination with a loose leaf card In \vitneea whereof I have signed the forell index casing havin av plurality of loose going specification.

leaves therein, a mec ianimn movable so that KENNETH L. EDDY. a portion thereof moves across the face of Witnesses: said leaves, and means carried by said mec-h- C. M. BACMEISTER,

'10 anism whereby a predetermined class of V. C. LINDST'ROM. 

